Discover Dylan Thomas's Works

All of Dylan’s work was written before he was forty and has been translated into over forty major and minor European languages, Arabic, Korean, Japanese, Chinese – more than any other modern British poet. In this section, you will discover that Dylan started writing from a young age, was a meticulous craftsman, ambitious, industrious and contemporary.

In my craft or sullen art
Exercised in the still night
When only the moon rages
And the lovers lie abed
With all their griefs in their arms
I labour by singing light
Not for ambition or bread
Or the strut and trade of charms on the ivory stages
But for the common wages
Of their most secret heart.

(An extract from In My Craft or Sullen Art).

Poems

During Dylan’s short life he wrote hundreds of poems, and though he also wrote humorous short stories, moving broadcasts and his famous play for voices, it was poetry that was his one main love. Discover more about his poetry and his meticulous approach to each and every one of his poems.

Stories

Dylan had a unique style when writing stories and they are very musical to listen to. He was able to transfer the language techniques he used in his poetry and use them in his prose as well. Discover how the style of his stories changed from his early stories which were weird, yet strangely compelling, to his later ones, that were laugh out loud descriptions of crazy Christmases, trips to see relatives or days out with friends.

Broadcasts

Dylan had one hundred and forty five separate engagements with the BBC, including reading, writing and acting. He also became a regular on many panel discussions making him a well-known radio personality. Discover that Dylan was not only a great writer; but also an excellent actor.

Under Milk Wood

It was during the 1950s that Dylan’s last, and by many regarded as his best, work was completed…though only just. He was still working on the final draft before going on stage with the full cast in New York on May 14th 1953. It was still being handed to performers as they applied make up and some lines of dialogue did not come into the hands of the actors until they were taking their places on stage. Discover how that performance, and a BBC recording just months after his death, made Under Milk Wood such an instant success.

Screenplays

Dylan’s wife Caitlin often complained that Dylan was wasting his talent writing screenplays. However, she did recognise that he never took the job lightly, was keenly interested in the new techniques that he was learning, and was hoping to move on to other forms of film writing. Discover how Dylan’s propaganda films, and his post-war film work, allowed him to learn important skills that would help him when writing for the radio, TV, and, when creating his famous play-for -voices, Under Milk Wood.

Letters

Dylan wrote hundreds, if not thousands of passionate, often funny, sometimes heartbreaking letters throughout his short life. Discover why his endless letter writing made him the perfect choice for inclusion in the Royal Mail’s Remarkable Lives stamp collection.

Juvenilia

At the age of fifteen, Dylan began his adolescent poetry notebooks, but he was also contributing articles to magazines and newspapers. Discover the sorts of things he wrote about and his early opinions on a number of different subjects.